13 Reasons Why

Before anyone starts to jump to conclusions, this has nothing to do with the TV show! I personally wasn’t a fan of the show, although the book was an interesting read… but I’m going off on a tangent so let me get back on track…

This post was set up by a teacher who had lost four of her students to suicide and decided to create this tag to get us all thinking about why we keep on going – a rather lovely sentiment really. I’d like to thank Synnove for nominating me for this – you can read her post here – and for making me think! This has been an interesting thought process for me because even though 13 reasons may not be many, I’ve wanted to make sure I’ve chosen the right ones to share with you all. So, here we go!

Rules:

1. Mention the person who nominated you.
2. List 13 reasons why you keep going/living (This is borrowed from the book but we’ll take it in the opposite direction).
3. Nominate 10 or more people to give their reasons why.
4. Use the tag logo in your post.

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My 13 Reasons Why

1) My Family
My family are pretty amazing people. I genuinely don’t have the words to describe just how much I love them. They are the kind of people that would drive to the opposite of the country if you call them because they will want to be there for you at the drop of a hat. I have two amazing younger brothers – you can read more about them here – who are hilarious, kind, gentle giants. They never fail to make me laugh and I can always count on them to be there for me when I need a shoulder to cry on, or someone to rant to.

My parents truly are #relationshipgoals. They are so madly in love after 30 years and I aspire to have a marriage like theirs when myself and Himself reach that landmark in our lives. They’re great fun to be around and always have my back. I’ve been in a position where I’ve considered what was keeping me here, what was actually worth living for anymore, and it all came down to these people here.

2) My Friends
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve curated a very special group of people that I enjoy spending my time with. I’ve obviously drifted from old friends and found new ones along the way, as we all do in life, but the gems that I have gained are worth their weight in gold. I have a few close friends who I would take a bullet for. They understand me almost as well as I understand myself and we have very open, honest, and fun relationships. My girls are my lifeline. There’s always someone in the group you can go to, no matter what the problem, and there’s always so much support and empowerment that we are the girl squad I always felt my soul needed!

As a child, and as a teen, I found girls horrible. They were always really nasty to each other and so bitchy. I couldn’t cope with how two-faced they could be, and I never knew where I stood with any of them. However, in the last few years we have taken a bit of a turn in Girl World. The feminist movement is one that I feel is so long overdue…. it’s 2018 for Buddha’s sake, and it’s only now that we’re seeing that we should be lifting each other up instead of constantly putting each other down (How it took us that long to get to this point I’ll never know!) Anyways, moral of the story is that we’ve turned a bit of a corner and I couldn’t be happier about it!

3) Himself
This might be a bit of a cliché but I am so in love with my boyfriend. We’ve known each other for about half our lives now and my world feels so much brighter and so much more colourful with him in it. He makes me calmer, he makes me see the fun side of things, and he makes me a much better person. Having spent a few years apart – when I needed to sort out my mental health – and getting back together again has really highlighted just how much he wants me to be ok. He encouraged me to do what I had to do to take care of myself and was always supporting me from the side lines. Together, we make such a great team. He is childish and quirky and a total messer, and that brings me down to earth when I’m taking life too seriously. He lifts me up and makes me see myself in a more positive light. More importantly though, he is my everything; he is perfectly flawed and that’s what makes him so perfect to me! I could ramble on about how much and why I love him but I’ll not bore you all to death!

4) Nature
This is something that may seem very simple, but I adore nature. I love getting outside and being in the moment. I appreciate the beauty that surrounds me – whether that’s in the middle of a bustling city, or in the stillness of the countryside or by the calm coastlines. Nature makes me feel connected; connected to the earth, to the people around me, and to myself. I take immense pleasure in observing the seasons change and watching the leaves change from green to red and yellow. I love seeing little buds on the trees sprout into luscious green leaves and hearing birds sing their morning song at 5am. There is beauty everywhere.

5) Music
This is one that is close to my heart. I play the piano and really enjoy getting into the flow of new pieces, as well as learning my own renditions of modern songs. I enjoy listening to music on Spotify, and listening to music live. Last night I went to an Ed Sheeran gig in Pairc Ui Caoimh and I really felt so mindful of the experience. There was an amazing atmosphere and people were so happy. Music can unite us. It is powerful. When you feel that nobody else could ever have felt as happy, sad, lonely, worried, as you are feeling, you’ll find a song that reminds you that despite all your beliefs, you are not alone.

6) Reading
This is a serious passion of mine. I love to get lost in a gripping book and experiencing the world, and it’s many emotions, from a different perspective. Reading makes me feel less alone in the world. Reading helps me to understand others better, and often to understand myself better. Reading helps me to leave life behind for a little while whilst also being totally immersed in the present moment. It is a magical hobby that I hope I never grow out of.

7) Self Improvement
I have, in recent years, developed a fierce determination to become the best possible version of myself. This is something that I am very passionate about and I am determined to be my best self. It’s a bit run-of-the-mill I guess, because who doesn’t want to be their best selves, but it is something that makes me get my ass out of bed on the mornings where I want to hide under the duvet. It pushes me to succeed and to give everything my best shot.

8) Making Others Smile
Random acts of kindness, little gestures to show others that I’m thinking of them, gifts for friends and family just because…. I really love making other people smile. It’s something that I’d like to incorporate more into every aspect of my life, but for now the intermittentness of it is perfectly fine! 🙂

9) The Little Things in Life
I have learned that the only attitude that will get you anywhere in life is an attitude of gratitude. If you are not grateful for the little things in life then how can you ever come to appreciate the big things. Gratitude is a tool that has completely changed my attitude to life. I’ve gone from being someone who constantly felt that the world was against her, to a woman who appreciates every little thing that the universe blesses her with. It has made me learn so much more about myself, and about the people around me, because at the end of the day we all want to be happy. I firmly believe that gratitude is the key to happiness.

10) The Sky
This is something that I am just so in love with. I’ve always been fascinated by the sky. I remember asking Santa for a telescope and being so disappointed when I didn’t get one. I used to love looking at the clouds in the sky. As a teenager I used to sit outside and stare at the stars.  And as an adult, I still love both of those things. Stargazing is one of my favourite things to do. It usually involves a few blankets and cushions on the ground outside at night, and whether I’m alone or in company it makes me feel amazing. Meteor showers are something that I absolutely adore and will drive for miles to get to the perfect spot without any light pollution to watch it. As I’ve grown up I’ve also developed a sincere love for the beauty of sunrises and sunsets. The palette of colour that a sunrise and sunset can create is simply breath taking!

11) Laughing
I absolutely love to laugh. There’s nothing better than laughing until there are tears pouring down my face. I simply cannot put it any simpler than that!

12) Eating my Favourite Foods
I love to eat. It should come as no shock that I am a Slimming World member! I love Pizza, Salt & Vinegar Crisps, Mint Chocolate, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Hot Dogs, Nachos, Deep Fried Brie… all the bad stuff! I love going out for food and eating the tastiest meals. It’s one of life’s simple pleasures! Even writing this is making me super hungry!

13) Travelling and Going on Adventures
Travelling to new places is something that I find scary and exciting. I’m a homebird so often going on an adventure means exploring my own country in some shape or form. Going on little adventures with the people I love really ignites a passion within me. I feel so connected to the people I am travelling with and I feel like I am doing the most amazing things for my mind and my soul. It is a great way for me to feel like I am truly making the most out of the life I’m living.

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My Nominations

I would like to nominate the following people to take part in this tag:

turning20web

April

Maureen

Magnumlady

Speedy Gone Charlie

Christina

Taylor and Kaylie

Emma Louise

Kyoko

Serve my plate

I hope you guys enjoy this thought provoking tag!

Much love,